Monday, December 8, 2014

Put styrofoam pellets inside water tanks to control Aedes mosquitoes

IPOH: THE Ipoh City Council will be distributing styrofoam pellets to ratepayers here in a bid to control the spiraling numbers of dengue cases.

State Health Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the pallets would be distributed to 283,247 houses in the city.

“The pellets will then be put inside water tanks which have been identified as one of the main areas where Aedes mosquitoes breed,” he said.

Dr Mah added that Perak had recorded 14 dengue-related deaths in the 11 months of this year with half of it reported in Kinta Valley.

“We have also reactivated the security action council to counter the problem.”

It was reported last week that dengue-related deaths had increased by 600 per cent from Jan 1 to Nov 27 this year, compared with only two deaths during the same period last year.

A total of 5,294 dengue cases were reported in Perak, with 2,393 cases reported in Kinta district.
Dr Mah said, besides water tanks, empty premises and illegal dumpsites had been identified as Aedes mosquitoes’ breeding areas.

“A total of 1,263 illegal dumpsites have been located in Ipoh. Irresponsible parties continue dumping their rubbish in these dumpsites even after they have been cleared by the local council,” he added.

He urged the public to keep their surroundings clean and not to by throw away rubbish indiscriminately.
He said 2,434 compounds had been issued to individuals for littering.

“Developers will face court action if Aedes mosquito breeding grounds are found in their construction sites,” he added.